Vampires don't sparkle
by Lunatra
Summary: A oneshot I wrote around the phrase 'Vampires don't sparkle. 10 points from Hufflepuff.' Set in Harry's third year.


Vampires Don't Sparkle.

"Hey, Sarah." Cedric Diggory pulled out the chair next to his friend and sat down. "What are you up to?"  
"Writing an essay for Defense on vampires. And I have a theory. Do you want to hear it?"  
Cedric smiled to himself. The Ravenclaw was always doing extra research in order to develop her own theories and ideas about things that no one had been able to achieve before. "Sure."  
"Okay, so you know vampires burn up in the sun?" She paused so Cedric could nod. "I've been doing some research on it, and I thought, maybe someone can cure it. Try hardening the skin so it reflects the sunlight off or something. I mean, a Durability spell on it's own wouldn't do the trick, and neither would a Hardening Solution, but if you take the key elements from each and combine them to make an even stronger spell or potion, it might work."  
"I suppose," Cedric said carefully, "but someone probably would've thought of that before now, wouldn't they? I mean, it's a great idea," he said hastily. "But someone probably would've tested it by now."  
"That's what I thought," Sarah said, eyes shining with excitement as she got further into her theory. "But if you could find all the right things - do enough research into all different types of spells and potions that have some sort of relation with the enchantment you wish to create... I mean, all you really need are the right elements to counteract with the natural reflexes in the vampire's skin..." Here, Cedric stopped listening, knowing Sarah could easily talk for hours about various theories she had. His eyes drifted onto his school bag, which looked like it could do with a good _Reparo. _Of course, there were only so many times you could magically repair a bag before it started to permanently look worn. Then, realising he was being rude, he turned his attention back to Sarah. "...overall improvement to the the durability of the skin, although some of the reactions that cause vampires to burn would break through, and that would result in small holes in the outer layer of skin."  
Cedric nodded, trying to look like he got it. Sarah didn't notice.  
"And that would mean that tiny points all over the skin would be vulnerable," she continued. "But those points wouldn't be big enough to actually burn up, more likely they'd feel mildly painful - if you use a magical painkiller, of course - and emit a bright light."  
"So vampires could actually walk in the sun without bursting into flames?" said Cedric, trying to wrap up the whole theory so she'd stop trying to explain.  
"Yes, although they'd feel slight discomfort, and would be covered in tiny pinpricks of light."  
Cedric tried to picture this. "So they'd...sparkle?"  
"Yes, I suppose you could call it that."  
Cedric nodded, then glanced at his watch. His stomach gave a flip. "Badgers," he cursed. "We're going to be late!"  
They both jumped to their feet and sprinted to their next class, him Defense, her Charms. When he arrived, he slipped in the class two minutes late. Luckily, the teacher was too busy lecturing one of his classmates on inappropriate use of magic to notice. Unluckily, it was Professor Snape.  
"Where's Lupin?" he muttered to Liam Painter as he sat down.  
"Ill again," Liam whispered back. Cedric's brow pulled together in concern, but didn't get much chance to pursue the thought, as Snape chose that moment to call the class to attention.  
The class went by slowly. They, like Sarah's class, had started on vampires. Most of the time was spent with Snape lecturing them, while they took notes, but when they got to a certain point, Cedric raised his hand.  
"...the sun, they burn immediately, leaving behind only ashes." Snape pursed his lips when he spotted Cedric's raised hand. "Diggory?"  
"Isn't it possible to prevent a vampire from burning in the sun?" He thought back to what Sarah had said. "By toughening the skin, you could maybe develop some way of them being able to go out in sunlight. You could combine different elements of useful spells or potions, and er, create something new that would...counteract natural reflexes and...mix it with a painkiller so it wouldn't, um, hurt..." Cedric faltered. He was doing a very bad explanation. He tried again. "I mean, the outer layer of skin would break up, but a vampire could still go out, even if there would be tiny vulnerable points across the body, causing the vampire to, er...sparkle." He stopped there, painfully aware of how ridiculous he sounded.  
Snape stared at him for a moment, then sighed. "Mr Diggory," he said, "vampires don't sparkle. 10 points from Hufflepuff."  
Cedric didn't argue.


End file.
